Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the World English Bible, ebible.org, all rights reserved)

You will be established in righteousness. You will be far from oppression, for you will not be afraid, and far from terror, for it shall not come near you.
Isaiah 54:14 (emphasis added)

This excites me. Does it excite you? This is a great verse. A verse to stand on. Within a great section of scripture that really drives home the steadfast love of the Lord toward us. That the Lord has promised not to be angry with us or rebuke us. Now, correction is when our behaviour or thinking gets amended, brought into conformity with the Father’s thinking. The treatment and rehabilitation of our souls by Holy Spirit. That is important for all of us. It is done with love, gentleness, and care. A rebuke, on the other hand, is a stern, sharp, and strong disapproval. A severe criticism. Correction is important for growth. Rebuke is important for adherence to rules. Both can be done in love, but correction is an arm around your shoulder as you’re guided. A rebuke is a swat on the tushie. One is full of Grace. The other is full of Law. I am ever-grateful that we are under Grace. That we are on the side of the cross where we get to enjoy the everlasting mercy of the Lord which turns our hearts and lets us love His righteousness, giving us a hunger to emulate. That we don’t have to endure a struggle to conform to a bunch of rules we can’t hope to fully embrace without divine help.

If you have ever seen a rainbow, you have seen His loving kindness. A promise so ingrained into the physical world that it is a scientific principle of electromagnetic spectrum. A principle where when in action, it takes a single thing (light) and divides it into different wavelengths, enabling us to see several aspects of its wavelengths. When light meets the atmosphere. This is a beautiful picture. Of humanity being shown aspects of the Lord when His light meets our atmosphere. A promise to refrain from anger toward us (incidentally modelling for us that anger is, in fact, a choice). To keep from rebuking us. But to show us the many sides of Himself so that we can inhabit them in Jesus. To dwell in a covenant of peace with the Father. To always have beside us His loving kindness (Isaiah 54:9-10).

Today’s verse is part of a section where we are being taught what that looks like. Where we are being shown where we will walk. And the victories that we will inhabit. Where we are being shown what the Lord does to ensure it. God’s covenant of peace is not one promising us relaxing, peaceful, and quiet times. This is not the stereotyped retirement the world wishes for. The Lord acknowledges we will be faced with affliction and tossed by storms. But He also promises reward, mercy, and supernatural favour (vs 11-12).

It actually starts in verse 13 and ends 17. Our first promise of how this will occur is that our children — actual children, and also our spiritual children: those who we disciple — will be taught by Yahweh. The Lexham English Bible (a freely licensed literal translation, lexhampress.com) reads that they shall be pupils of Yahweh. Taught. Trained. By Him. This is also a promise of Jesus. Jesus tells us how we will be taught and get the fulfilment of this promise: “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you” (John 14:26). John later amplifies it: “As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you don’t need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him” (1 John 2:27). The other side of the promise is what that teaching gives us (beyond wisdom and understanding): peace. Not just peace, but great peace (vs 13). Knowledge of the Word in our heart, wisdom imparted to us, gives us peace. The closer we get to the Lord, the more we dwell in Jesus, the more peace we have. Jesus said “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful” (John 14:27). He could have stopped there. That there is an enormous Blessing in that. But God doesn’t work that way. He gives, then gives again, and then gives again.

We will be established in righteousness. Established is defined as having been in existence for a long time and therefore recognised and generally accepted. Isn’t that great? We are going to be placed into Him so much that the world around us will recognise us as having been in Him for a long time and therefore recognised and generally accepted as His. We will be noted as being godly. We will be noted as being righteous people. Not hidden but shining like beacons of His presence on earth (Matthew 5:14-16).

We will be far from oppression, for we will not be afraid. And we will be far from terror, for it shall not come near us. That’s right. We will be socially distanced from oppression and terror. Why? Fear will not be a component of our lives. Remember: everything not of faith is of fear. So this is a promise that the more we walk in Faith and the more we are taught and trained in His ways by His Spirit, the more we will inhabit Love and not fear. Terror is a spiritual entity and it will be unable to get near us because He who is in us will prevent it from getting close (1 John 4:4). Because perfect Love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). We are not called to wallow in fear. To let it in in any way. We are called to be of His power, His love, and His soundness (2 Timothy 1:7).

Further, the Rabbis teach another aspect of this. Not only does Jesus’ presence within us separate us from fear and all its works. But as we are separated unto the Lord, as we are discipled by Yahweh, there is another result. The Rabbis teach that we will also stay far from oppressing other peoples in the manner the wicked do. How do wicked people get wealth? Robbery. Dishonesty. We won’t do that. We will not NEED to rob because we will not have fear. People who rob are in fear. Fear of poverty and ruin. This is not our problem. We worship a God of Blessing (Philippians 4:19 and Luke 6:38). Poverty, dire straits, and ruin cannot come near us or even approach us. We will shake oppression off of us like dust off a coat. We are established into His everlasting redemption (Hebrews 9:11-12). Inside His redemption how can we fear other people’s oppression OR oppress others? It is antithetical to the nature of God to oppress. As His children, we gain Jesus’ nature (Colossians 3:10). Therefore, it is antithetical to us as well. We walk in His peace.

The Lord promises (vs 15) that the world may choose to gather against us. They may choose to line up and seek our lives. What’s the promise? It won’t be because of the Lord. The Lord will NOT have sent them against us. It will NOT be a rebuke against us. He is not giving us our just desserts. He is not enforcing His Law. We are under Grace, and He does not and will not use the world to make sure we comply. Instead, the Lord points out that because those who come against us aren’t from Him, they will not stand. Because of OUR identity, they will fall. Whoever will gather against us will fall because of us.
How. That’s always the question. That and why. Well, the Lord goes on: “Behold, I have created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame, and forges a weapon for his work; and I have created the destroyer to destroy” (vs 15-16). What is He saying? That the Lord is ultimately in control. That the forces of destruction are His. Which means that though the enemy steals from that power, the enemy doesn’t control it. Yes, the free will of man has let the enemy embrace and wield destruction in horrible ways. But for those who let the Lord move, who let the Lord in, who altar with the Lord (Romans 12:1), then the Lord decides what happens. The Lord has the final call on who is destroyed and who is not. The enemy may marshal his forces and gather their weapons and come against us, but He who is in us has something to say about it.

“No weapon formed against you will prevail; and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment” (vs 17). Remember that the Lord created the blacksmith who forges the weapon. He created the destroyer who destroys. The Lord’s presence within us marks us. That marking turns away weapons. Like He turned the flames from those in the furnace (Daniel 3:8-25), He can turn the edge of the weapons from us. The Hebrew in this verse reads Any weapon whetted against you. That’s not even weapons being brought against us, but weapons sharpened with the INTENT of being used against us. Anything whetted, sharpened, or prepared in order to do battle against us. Sharp knives or sharp words. They will NOT prevail against us. Why? The righteousness of God. That which we were instructed in back in verse 13. As we harken to that instruction and abide in Jesus, Jesus abides in us (John 15:4-11). “By this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him, and he in God. We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. In this, love has been made perfect among us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, even so we are in this world” (1 John 4:13-17). That’s protection. That is a PROMISE. Don’t believe me? Keep reading our verses.

“This is the heritage of Yahweh’s servants, and their righteousness is of me,” says Yahweh” (vs 17). The Lexham English bible gives verse 17 like this: “Every weapon formed against you shall not succeed, and you shall declare guilty every tongue that rises against you for judgment. This is the inheritance of the servants of Yahweh, and their legal right from me,” declares Yahweh.” Our inheritance is justice by a declaration of the Lord God Almighty. The devil is a legalist. He is the author of loopholes and technicalities. But here he has no ground to stand on. No nitty gritty to grab hold of and accuse us (not that it does him any good – 1 John 2:1-2). This is justice. Justice is the maintenance or administration of what has a basis in or conforming to fact, especially by the assignment of merited rewards.

What is our reward? Our reward by a declaration of Yahweh? The same God who by Word created the universe? What has He declared to be ours by Word? A legal right to our inheritance. It cannot be taken from us. It cannot be kept from us. The Lord God Almighty sits in the Courts of Heaven and declares it to be ours. That inheritance? The fact that no one can rise up against us without being guilty. That no sharp knives prepared for our injury can strike us. We are protected, set apart, and holy unto God. Full of His Righteousness in Jesus the Anointed One who in turn anoints us (1 John 2:18-29).

Are you taking this all in? Yahweh promises to train us. To train us in His ways. To enable us to walk in them in Jesus. That as we abide in Jesus, Jesus will take up residence in us bringing His Righteousness. Our spirits are renewed so much that they are a clone of Jesus Himself. Co-heirs of the kingdom and sons of God Most High (Romans 8:17 & Galatians 2:26). As we abide in Jesus and read the Word with intent, purpose, and listening, He will renew our minds (Ephesians 4:23). Our Blessing in the spirit will spill over, altering and transforming our souls, and then our physical existence. This is our inheritance. The world will storm against us in the physical and we will be at peace with the Lord in the midst of the storm (Matthew 8:23-34).

Isaiah 54:13-17 is among the most powerful promises of the Lord in the Word. A promise and a way of navigating the world for these times. Verses to speak out over yourself and your family every day. This isn’t frivolous. This isn’t pie in the sky. This isn’t happy go-lucky talk. Read the whole chapter and learn about the context of the verses and you can see that the Lord isn’t promising no issues. This was spoken to people in captivity. To people who had rejected Him and paid the price for it. But it is also a promise of union. Of joining with the Lord. A Messianic promise that we can inhabit as its fulfilment (or one of its fulfillments). This is the Jesus relationship in a nutshell. Seek Him. Allow yourself to be instructed by Him. See Him inhabit your life as you inhabit His. Get given (by Grace through Faith) your legal right. Your inheritance in the Lord. I speak these verses daily and come into agreement with the declaration of the Lord Most High. I encourage you to do the same.

Daily Affirmation of God’s Love: Nehemiah 9:20-23

The Lord loves us and provides for us. Food, water, and prevention of sickness (Exodus 23:25). He gives us places to dwell, riches to enjoy (be that fertile ground, comfortable residences, possessions, or money). He helps that which we have to last so we’re not always spending to replace it. This doesn’t mean that He is going to ensure that nothing ever wears out or that our pantries are always full. But it doesn’t mean that He won’t (1 Kings 17:14). He cares for His children. As we get close to Him, He gets close to us. What do you believe? What do you think is possible? If you choose less, you can have it. If you choose the humanly impossible, you can have it. As we are obedient and love to do His will, He is released to shower us with His goodness — especially in times of lack, want, and disaster. To bless us so that we can be a blessing to those around us. If you put your absolute trust in Him, it will be justified. He promises that again and again. He loves you. He wants the best for you. Believe it. Receive it. Walk in it.

Your Daily Confession of God’s love to YOU:

Today God loves that I _______.